Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1887-11-05
State, but of all Eastern States having no

State, but of all Eastern States having no
immediate Connection with the road.
We present here some extracts from Mr..
Wilson's remarks on the bill, at different
stages, to show not only his friendship for
the enterprise, and the lengths to which he
was willing to go in its support, but also
his want of faith in it as a money-making
investment.
In the course of the debate of June 18th
Mr.. Wilson said:
l have little confidence in the estimates made
by Senators and members OF the House of Rep
resentatiyes as TO the great profits that to be
made, and the immense business that is TO be
done by the road. give no grudging vote in
giving away either money or land. l would
sink 500. 900 to build the road and do it
most cheerfully, aud think had done great
thing for my country if could bring it about
What are S75 600 600 or 500 900 600 in opeuing q
railroad across the central regions of this CONT
nent that shall connect the people of the Pacific
and Atlantic, and bind us together Nothing
As to the lands do not grudge them. 3
tell you these grants of lands to these roads
are no such great things after ell. ] hope they
will make money out of it. think, however. it
is but small contribution by this Government
Jor the great object in view
| am willing TO give this amount or double
this amount of land if it will aid in completing
this road If anyone imsgines that putting
money into these roads is 10 bring great returns.
IL
who has studied the railroad interests of this
country, who has examined the condition of
the various railroads of the country and knows
how they situated, what their business of
every kind and description has been and has
examined the value of their stock, knows that
the railroad business as whole III this country
is no very profitable undertaking: want to be
as liberal in money. want the bill to be so
framed and guarded in the provisions for the
money we shall give. want TO give that guam
tity of land, and | want it all SO arranged in
sc h. a..
shall feel that we are to have q railroad. If by
the iberalty of this Government, either by
money or land, we can induce capitalists to put
in the money necessary to complete this road
we shall have achieved something for the coun-
try.
How resonantly those words ring out
above the shrill screech of the penny
whistle statesmen" of to-day, who get
their living by raving against railroads
and the builders of them. But as still
more aptly illustrating the feeling of the
statesmen of those times on this question,
and directly showing that it was not the
intention or the expectation that the roads
should pay the money advanced at all
events or otherwise than by services, ETC.,
we quote again from Mr. Wilson in sub
sequent speech on the same day He said
AS to the security the United States takes on
ILLS rOduI WOulu not give the paper IL IS writ
ten on for the whole off l do not suppose il
| is ever to come back in any form except doing
| in the road the business we need, carving oul
mails and munitions of war. l vote for the bill
| with that expectation and that understanding
| The idea OF security to the Government of the
| United States for the advance of this money
| the idea that it is ever to be paid back to the
| United States. l consider as visionary as any
| thing that could be uttered III the Congress OF
| the United States In my judgment we ought
not to vote for the bill with the expectation OF
with the understanding that this money which
| we advance for this road is ever to come back
| into the Treasury of the United States | vote
for the bill with the expectation that all we gel
out Of the road-and l think that is a great deal
munitions Of war, and such things the Gov
| eminent may need, and / vote for it mos
cheerfully with that view.
In reply to this Mr. Howe, of Wiscon.
sin, said that if he did not expect to gel
the money back he should find great
difficulty in voting for the bill" The
| best commentary on this remark is the
| fact that Mr.. Howe, of Wisconsin, was one
of the five Senators who finally voted
against the bill. Mr.. Wilson answered
Mr.. Howe as follows:
will say to the Senator of Wisconsin that
| have expressed this opinion deliberately
have studied the railroad system of this country
| and Its condition, and l make the prediction
iltiO uuQ ltJ IL 40 upon Tue record, Llat
the man is not born in this country. nor is there
| born the grandfather of the man in this couu.
try, Whe will ever see this nation get back this
money tits an impossibility. The road will
| never be worth it. l am for railroad. | am
for making this grant. l am for taking some
security on the bed of the road. On the rolling
| stock OF the road would not take any security
and would go further than that and l wonld
provide in this bill that this road should never
| be mortgaged to anybody but the Govern
ment of the United States. / want the men
who, go into the enterprise to put their money
in it, and not to borrow money and give
mortgages on what the Government of the
| United States does for them; wanting them tC
| put their money into it, am against driving 8
anything in this bill that shall prevent mer
putting their money into this road. On the
contrary, want to invite the capitalists of the
| country TO invest their money in the road and
| finish it, l do not expect any of our money
| back. believe that no man can examine thi,
| subject and come to the conclusion that it vii
come back in any other way than is provided
for in the bill, and that provisions for the carry
| ing of the mails and doing certain other worb
| for the Government OF the United States. Ii
that way we are to get our compensation, anC
| in my Judgment it will be ample and complete
| but the idea that the $4,000 or the S4S 600 pei
| mile we put into the road is ever to be received
| back into the treasury of the United States. i:
as visionary as anything that ever entered the
| brain of man.
These remarks of this far-sighted states
lIlil lie dl lcdSL uIu IlOL Inilk
it reasonable to expect or right to exact
absolute repayment of the money advanced
| by the Government, otherwise than by the
services provided for in the bill itself. He
thought that would be sample" repay
ment.
The whole tenor of the discussions II
the House and Senate shows that this wa.
the general view, although not so openly
declared by others as by Senator Wilson
This was the understanding and expecta
ton upon which the bill was passed.
should, therefore, in all honor and gooc
conscience, have large influence in tn,
adjustment of matters between the com
panies and the Government, even though
the words of the Act may admit Of
harsher construction against the companies
If the builders of this road were entitled
to the generous consideration and treat
ment of the nation, and of its Legislature
before they had built rod of the road, o
invested dollar in it, in order to Undue
them to make the investment, how mucI
more are they entitled to it now that the,
have made the investment and completes
| the road